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Salem Pioneer Cemetery ~ Frederick Gustavus Schwatka
~ part of the Marion County Pioneer Cemeteries of Oregon
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Frederick Gustavus Schwatka
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| LAST NAME: Schwatka
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FIRST NAME: Frederick
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MIDDLE NAME: Gustavus
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NICKNAME:
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| MAIDEN NAME:
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AKA 1:
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AKA 2:
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AKA 3:
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| TITLE: Mr.
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GENDER: M
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MILITARY:
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| BORN: 27 Mar 1810
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DIED: 12 Jan 1888
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BURIED: 13 Jan 1888
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| ETHNICITY:
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OCCUPATION: Cooper; Road commissioner
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| BIRTH PLACE: Baltimore, Baltimore Co., Maryland
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| DEATH PLACE: Salem, Marion Co., Oregon
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NOTES:
IOOF - F. G. Swatka [sic], died in Salem after a lingering illness, both feet amputated before death.
BIOGRAPHICAL:
"Fredrick G. Schwatka was born in Baltimore, Indiana, on March 27, 1810. He was married at Wheeling, West Virginia, to Amelia Hukill on October 24, 1833. Possessed with rather a migratory spirit, we find him going from Virginia to Cincinnatti, Ohio, where he was made an Odd Fellow on January 16, 1836, and for over fifty-two years he was prominent in that order. From Cincinnatti he moved to Peoria, then to Galena, Illinois, each successive move bringing him farther west.
Becoming imbued with the still more western idea, he fitted out with ox teams and undertook the great Oregon trek. After his arrival he took up land at the mouth of the Columbia river but later on the government took over this property and built thereon Fort Stevens. It was many years after, owing to the slow process of public affairs, settlement with Mr. Schwatka for this piece of property by the United States government was finally made.
Mr. Schwatka was a cooper by trade and after leaving his Columbia river claim, he went to Linn county and worked at his trade at Albany. This was in 1863. In 1869 he moved to Salem, where he resided thereafter.
Mr. Schwatka was an active member of the Evangelical church and gave much time to the furtherance of religious work. He was a man of strong convictions. His mind was a veritable storehouse of facts and incidents connected with the early history of the state. He bore an unblemished reputation and in his declining years was known as "Father" Schwatka. An amputation of both his legs was deemed necessary in his later years and after that he became a familiar figure as he wheeled himself about the streets of Salem on his perambulator.
After coming to Oregon, he became affiliated with Chemeketa Lodge, No. 1, I. 0. 0. F., and was twice sent as grand representative to the grand lodge of the United States from the grand lodge of the state of Oregon. No man of the early pioneers was more beloved and held in more esteem that "Father" Schwatka. The children of this worthy man were two sons and six daughters, as follows:
Mrs. J. D. Jordan, Mrs. C. M. Cross, Mrs. Amelia Strang, Mrs. Thos. Reynolds, Mrs. Anna Gibbs and one daughter, deceased. The two sons were, A. C. Schwatka, connected with the San Francisco Examiner, and Lieutenant Fred Schwatka, late of the United States army, who won fame as an Arctic explorer, and finally made his residence at Rock Island, Illinois."
Source - Steeves, Sarah Hunt, BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE OF MARION COUNTY, OREGON, PIONEERS 1840-1860, Portland, Oregon, The Berncliff Press, 1927.
Road Work--Commissioner F. G. Schwatka yesterday, commenced work on the street running from Commercial street, South Salem, to the railroad track, through the classic precincts of Sleepy Hollow.
Oregon Statesman OS 26 May 1871
Mr. F. G. Schwatka of this city was initiated into the Odd Fellow's Lodge 39 years ago yesterday. He is older in Odd Fellowship than any other man in Oregon.
(Source: Scrap-book Compiled by T. C. Shaw, Salem, Oregon, Property of Mrs. S. C. Stone.) pg 202
ANOTHER OPERATION - -Our readers have no doubt a painful remembrance of the sad misfortune of Mr. F. G. Schwatka over a year ago, by which he lost his right foot. For some time a lack of vitality has troubled his other foot, turning it black and lifeless by degrees, until it was destined to consume his limb and reach his vitals, besides causing unendurable pain. The only remedy seemed amputation again, and yesterday morning the serious operation was performed very successfully by Drs. W. A. Cusick, H. Carpenter, and A. J. Giesy. His son, Lieutenant Fred Schwatka, was in attendance. Mr. F. G. Schwatka is 74 years of age, and we are sorry that his evening of life is darkened by such clouds of misfortune and misery. His consitution is quite strong now, and we hope he will soon see brighter days.
Weekly Oregon Statesman 22 Apr 1884 3:5
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DEATH CERTIFICATE:
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OBITUARY:
DEATH OF FATHER SCHWATKA
Today all that is mortal of the aged and venerable Frederick G. Schwatka will be laid to rest in Odd Fellows' cemetery, with all the imposing ceremonies of the order from which that city of the dead takes its name.
For nearly thirty years Father Schwatka's for mand features have been familiar to the people of this city. A whole generation of men and women have grown up since he first cast his lot in Salem. Of stalwart form and strong mind, he has done his share in building up the town. He passed away quietly at an early hour yesterday morning. Several years ago old age began to tell upon him, and a peculiar malady attacked him, which rendered necessary the amputation of both feet, since which time he has appeared but seldom on the streets in his combined easy chair and perambulator. He was, on such occasions, the object of respectful interest and attention on the part of old acquaintances and citizens generally, who regarded him as something of an oracle.
Father Schwatka was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on the 27th of March, 1810, and in a few weeks, had he lived, would have completed his 78th year. He was married in Wheeling, Virginia, to Amelia Hukill, on the 24th of October, 1833. The issue of this marriage consisted of six daughters, three of whom, Mrs. J. D. Jordan, Mrs. C. M. Cross and Mrs. Amelia Strang, reside in Salem; two, Mrs. Thos. Reynolds and Mrs. Anna Gibbs in Portland, while the last is deceased; and two sons, A. C. Schwatka, connected with the San Francisco Examiner, and Lieut. Fred. Schwatka, late of the U.S. Army, of Arctic exploring fame, now residing at Rock Island, Illinois. In Cincinnati, on January 16, 1836,
Father Schwatka was made an Odd Fellow, and for fifty-two years he has been prominent in the order. He was, while living, the oldest member of the order in this jurisdiction, and had passed through all the subordinate and encampment degrees, and had twice been grand delegate from the grand lodge of the state of Oregon to the sovereign grand lodge of the United States. He was also past grand high priest of the encampment for the jurisdiction of Oregon. He was deeply and intelligently devoted to the work and interests of the beneficent order of which he was so distinguished a member. After leaving Cincinnati Father Schwatka was next heard of at Peoria, Illinois, from which point his active spirit led him to become one of the army of pioneers then leaving for the great west, and in 1850 he arrived in Oregon, and located a donation claim on Point Adams at the mouth of the Columbia river. He was dispossessed of the claim by the U.S. government, which built there on Fort Stevens. It is only within a few years that the equities in the case were recognized by the government, and he received a recompense of reward for his claim. Leaving his early location he went to Albany, Linn county, in 1853 and remained there working at his trade as cooper until 1859, when he came to Salem, where he has since resided.
Father Schwatka was a man of strict and unbending integrity. He was a member of the Evangelical church and devoted much of his time during the closing years of his life to the consideration of religious subjects. In the thirty-seven years of his long and active life which he has spent upon this coast, he has seen what on his arrival was the almost untrodden wilderness of Oregon grow into a great and populous state, with a future before it of shich it is probably neither he nor the most enthusiastic of his fellow pioneers hardly dreamed. He bore his part well in working the wondrous transformation which has been effected, and has left to the present and future generations a praiseworthy and blameless example of a sober, industrious and moral life. It will be well if the rising generation emulate his industry and integrity. Due honors will be paid to the venerable pioneer’s remains. His descendants can point with pride to his record, and with his friends and brethren will keep his memory green.
Daily Oregon Statesman, January 13, 1888, 3:3.
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INSCRIPTION:
Father
F. G. Schwatka
1810 - 1888
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SOURCES:
IOOF Register of Burials
DAR pg 22
S&H pg 34
Steeves, BOOK OF REMBRANCE, pg 202
OS 26 May 1871 ?:?
WOS 22 Apr 1884 3:5
OS 13 Jan 1888 3:3
OS 4 Jan 1889 (Necrological listing)
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CONTACTS:
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| LOT: 113
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